Before their quest for the Super Bowl can begin in earnest, a lone challenge remains for the Broncos to conquer:

Fear of the Patriots.

Denver will be in Baltimore on Sunday for what many regard as a statement game against a rare top-level foe on an undeniably soft schedule.

Quarterback Peyton Manning and linebacker Von Miller, however, aren't really competing against the Ravens, so much as measuring themselves against New England.

From the moment Denver signed Manning, there was no Plan B. It was Super Bowl or bust. But if truth serum were taken in the Dove Valley executive offices, here's a hunch two bluntly honest opinions would be revealed.

1) The team is a full year ahead of anybody's most optimistic projection to win a championship.

2) All anybody really wants for Christmas is to avoid a trip to Tom Brady's house in January.

There are 30 NFL teams that don't scare Denver. The Houston Texans are frauds. The New York Giants might be worthy defending champs, but do you think Peyton is intimidated by his kid brother?

Stare as they might through orange-tinted glasses, however, coach John Fox and executive John Elway can't clearly see a path through New England that lands the Broncos in the Super Bowl.

So the final three games of the regular season aren't really about wins and losses. In fact, a defeat against the Ravens could actually be a blessing in disguise, if the fourth seed in the AFC tournament allowed Denver to delay its journey to New England until the conference title game.

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Why? The Broncos have work to do. The run defense needs to tighten up. Eric Decker must buckle down and prove himself trustworthy for a crucial catch on third down. Every snap of live action can make linebacker D.J. Williams a more valuable contributor, and running back Willis McGahee needs all the extra weeks of rehab he can get before returning to the lineup.

Until the Broncos find answers, Bill Belichick will haunt their dreams.

And know what? Fear of the Hoodie Monster could be a good thing. The Broncos know they aren't good enough to win a championship. Yet.

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